Automobile signal



Oct. 7, 1924.

W. Ev BLAND AUTOMOB 1 LE 5 I GNA L Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. l6, 1925 Q/JVAT Oct. 7, 1924.

W. E. BLAND MOBILE S IGNAL Filed Feb.

16 w192i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jwuenloz William E. Bland.

so one tlfi between Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

UNITED STATES WLLIJAM E. BLAND, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

To dlljwhom it may concern:

Be itlmown that 1, WILLIAM E. BLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Automobile Signals,'of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved automobile si iial comprising a signal arm in the form iihuman arm and means for swinging said arm into the various standard signallin 3 positions of the human arm.

eferring to the annexed drawings in "whioh my invention is illustrated and which fOl'IIiSiB. part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side view of an automobile with my signal mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a rear view of my signal. Figure 3 is an edge view of my signal.

- Fg'gured is a rear view of my signal with the rear frame late removed.

Figure 5 is a cut view of my signal.

Figure 6 is a front view of the signal arm swunginto horizontal or left turn position.

In the drawings 1' indicates a frame which com rises a rear plate 3 and a front plate 2 which plates are connected together but spaced a short distance apart by pins 4, 5 and 6. The outline of said plates maybe in the form of the body and head of a police ofiicer. Said frame is mounted on the rear left fender of the automobile. A signal arm 7 is made in the form of a uman arm in two members, an upper member 8 and a lower member 9, which members are pivoted together at the elbow by pivot 10 and the arm is, pivoted to the upper part of the frame 1 between the plates 2 and 3 on the pin d which extends through the uper end of the upper members 8 or" the arm.

n the inner end of arm member 9 are two shoulders 11 and 12 which are engaged by a pin 13 on the member 8 whereby the movement of the member 9 is limited when brought into straignt alignment with member 8 or uiwardly at right angles to said member. rod'14 is connected at one end to the inner end of arm member 9 and extends through a bearin 15 at the upper end of the arm member 8. e other end of rod 14 is connected to one end of a cord 16, the other end of which cord is connected to the periphe of a drum 17 which is journaled the upper part of the plated-.2 .and 3,"which shaft is secured in the Application filed February 16, 1922. Serial in. 538,849.

plate 3. A spring 19 surrounds the rod 14 between the bearing 15 and the end of said rod which is connected to the arm member 9. A flexible tube 20 is connected near one end by a stud 21 to the plate 2 between said plate and plate 3 and at its other end to the upper part of the steering post. of the automobile, through which tube extends a Bowden wire 22, one end of which is connected to the drum 17 and its other end is connected to a lever 23 pivoted on said steering post just under the steering wheel. A spring contact 25 is secured to a block 26 of insulation which is secured between the plates 2 and 3 to the plate 2, which contact extends over the face of the drum 17 and normally engages a knob 27 of insulation on the face of said drum. In the rear wall 3 is mounted an electric lamp 30, one terminal of which is grounded on said plate. The other terminal of said lam is connected to a spring contact 31 secure to the inside of the late 3 under the base'of said lamp, whici contact engages the contact 25. A circular plate 32 is mounted a short distance from the rear of the plate 3 and lamp on pins 33 plate 32 may be in-the form of a police officers badge with a star 34 and 35 out in the plate to which openings the light of lamp 30 may projected. A stop 36 is secured to the inside of plate 2 which engages a finger 37 on the upper end of arm member 8 and limits the upward movement of said arm member in a horizontal position.

A lead 40 is connected to the contact 25 and to one pole of a battery 41. A lead 42 is connected to the other pole of said battery and to the plate 3.

In the operation of my signal the arm 7 is thrown into three different positions through the medium of lever 23, Bowden wire 22, drum 17 and cord 16, the first position being at an angle as shown in full lines in Figure 2 indicating Stop, the next position being horizontal indicating left turn, and the next position with the upper arm member 8 horizontal and the arm member 9 in vertical position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, indicating rightft-urp, the arm member 8 being arrested imhorizontal sition by the engagement of-u'fing'ei' with stop 36. When the arm is of said positions the contact 25 e gesf'th f ace of the drum 17 and closes t 0 18m 0 enings form the star, m h

projecting from said plate 3. The

circuit, lighting the lamp 30, the current passing from battery 41 through lead 40, contact 25, drum 17, frame 1v and 30, and lead 42 back to battery. he lamp cir- 5 cuit may be controlled by a switch 45 interposed in the lead 42.

Havin described by invention, I claim: 1. A signal including a frame, an arm formed of two members pivoted together, one of said members being pivoted to said frame and means for swinging said arm -into an incline position, a horizontal position, or in a position with one member hor-. izontal and the other member vertical.

2.1-A si a1 including a frame, an arm formed 0 two members pivoted together a one of said members being pivoted to said frame,'means for swinging said arm into an incline position, a horizontal position, or in a position with one member horizontal and a the other'member vertical, an electric lamp and means for. lighting said lamp when said arm is swun into any of said positions.

an upper and a lower member pivoted together, the upper member being pivoted to a frame,a rod connected to the pivoted end of the lower member, a bearing on the upper end f of the upper member through which said .rod extends, a spring surrounding said -rod between-said and the endof the I pin on the upper member for engaging said shoulders to limit the lower member of the arm when the members are in alignment or when the upper member is horizontal and the lower member vertical.

4. A signal formed of an u per and a lower arm pivoted together an means for swinging 'both the upper and lower arms 60 from an inclined positi -.n to a hQrIZIO QQlQ .sition, or to a position with thefipprmenp ber horizontal and the lower member'vertical; V 3. A signa including an a'rm formed of 5. A signaland arm made intwosections ivoted together and means for swinging th sections of said arms so that one section will be horizontal and the other section perpendicular thereto.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM E. BLAND 

